Escaping The Imperial City
by Final Hikari
Summary: In the aftermath of Emperor Lelouch vi Britannia’s assassination, the pieces in the mosaic of lies fall into place one by one. The Demon King’s most extravagant plot ends with his heart still beating.
1. Prologue

"_The only ones who should kill…are those prepared to be killed."_

Escaping The Imperial City

Prologue

The Pieces of a Mosaic

The Demon King's corpse had already been transferred into a plain coffin when it was returned to the palace and left in the hands of the morticians to be tended. The group of men, all clad in pure white uniforms, wore grim expressions as they carried the heavy casket to where they would tend the body. It was tradition for such services to be ready at the palace at any time; however, few expected to be tending the late Emperor that day.

The hall was silent, oddly immune to the chaos outside. The 100th Empress of Britannia had been taken in by her brother's closest guards and cared for while his corpse was taken away. The entire process had been difficult to oversee, though all the morticians carrying the casket were unnerved and guarded. Generally, the warmth of life was gone from a body relatively fast - it was unusual for it to last so long after death.

They had no time to investigate it further before the transport was completed. They marched somberly down the hall when a woman slipped silently through the door a few yards away from them. She wore a tight dress with a unique symbol on the chest and high boots, her long hair falling freely around her waist. She stood out amongst most women, but at that moment, the most eye catching part of her appearance was the pistol in her hand.

_"Pay attention, since I'm only explaining your instructions once."_

The red light settled on the man carrying the right side of the bottom, directly over his heart. The room was bathed in bright, colored light from the stained glass ceiling. Her instructions and the conversation that surrounded them played through her mind as she pulled the trigger.

_"Don't shoot the two carrying the front of the casket first. Shoot the two in the back, then the two in the middle, and finally the ones in the front. They are unarmed, but this will prevent them from having time to react properly."_

She made a slight adjustment in aim and fired a second time; the two men carrying the bottom of the coffin both stumbled and collapsed.

_ "And? If they're unarmed it doesn't matter if they have a few seconds to react."_

The other four who remained all whipped around, as she shot the two men in the middle. They all released the coffin at once as the last two made an attempt to reach for their phones to call security.

_ "And I don't need a concussion to add to things. They'll drop my head first otherwise."_

They had no time.

She fired the pistol two more times, causing both of the remaining morticians to collapse. They were dead before they hit the floor. Her expression was impassive as she murdered the six men; only the slightest shadow of worry could be recognize upon her features, though it had nothing to do with guilt. If someone didn't know her well, they wouldn't have noticed it at all. She lowered the weapon and hurried forward, running to the casket though there was no reason to hurry.

Sunlight flooded the room through the stained glass murals in the ceiling, dying the entire room a tinge of red. She grabbed one of the dead man's arms and dragged him a few feet away from the coffin. She carelessly placed her pistol on the floor and nearly tripped over his body as she scrambled over to the coffin.

She cursed inwardly at her foolishness, unable to help but overreact in the unusual situation. She took a deep breath before the stench of death filled the air completely before pushing the heavy lit aside. It only gave slightly, as it was made of the finest material; weight wasn't considered when the coffin was made. Her hands trembled slightly as she gave it a second push, leaning her full weight against the lid. It moved several feet and she slid to her knees in the process, her ankle leaning against one of the dead mortician's hands. The man groaned and attempted to grab her ankle in his last moments of life, but his eyes became clouded before he had the chance to accomplish anything.

_I must not have hit his heart directly…_

She cringed as she rose to her feet, her worry and anxiety increasing by the second. Her eyes settled on the face of the man in the casket. His expression was peaceful, calm enough to make it seem as thought he were sleeping. She found herself involuntarily holding her breath as she waited; she had tried to remember every fleeting detail of the first time she had died, but the situation had played out very differently all those centuries ago.

His disorderly black hair fell around his closed eyes, though not even the slightest sign of movement could be discerned. In the many days and nights she'd spent at his side, he seemed more peaceful than she'd ever seen him before. Even on the earliest days, his mind had been whirling with plans and cunning traps to set for his enemies. His hands were folded over his chest, just beside the wound that dyed his clothes dark red.

_"Are you saying that you love Lelouch?"_

_ "I don't know. But I believe the time has finally arrived for me to stop accumulating experiences and start living."_

She reached out and gently lifted his hand, lacing her pale fingers between his bloodstained ones. He still felt warm. Even though his fingers didn't move, they still felt warm and very much alive. She waited rigidly, but the moments felt like small eternities. She almost felt her eyes filling for a second time but refuse to let the tears fall. She held onto his hand tightly, the thoughts and memories in her tired mind frozen.

Finally, after what felt like a small lifetime, she felt his chest rise. She let out the breath she'd been holding as she listened to him exhale and inhale again. His fingers tightened around her hand as his violet eyes opened, at first unfocused. She smiled at him warmly, the shadow of worry fading away. The expression was unusual for her, and he smirked slightly as he sat up.

Never one to let even the soberest of romantic moments stretch on, he released her hand and rubbed the back of his head. "I told you to not to let them drop me on my head," he said lightly, his voice still hoarse.

She chucked and shook her head; feeling relieved enough to simply play along. "Well, I shot them in the order you specified, but they all dropped you at the same time when they heard the gunshots."

"I figured they might do that, but apparently it wasn't preventable," he said as he straightened, grimacing slightly. "How long before this wound closes, witch?"

"Well, regeneration takes longer for new Code bearers. It won't get any worse but it probably won't be healed for another day or more," she explained, taking a step away as he stepped out of the coffin.

"What's the status of the plan? Is Jeremiah on his way with the replacement corpse?" he asked as he stood up. "Have the other witnesses been killed?"

"Yes. I already killed the guards who brought you here with Jeremiah. The replacement has been tended and is already dressed in another set of your clothes; you can change in the room down the hall and I'll burn the blood stained ones. The secured area around my quarters is still intact."

"Excellent. Ensure Suzaku's location is where we decided, not anywhere near the palace. Call Anya and remind her not to launch her temporarily, replacement Knightmare indiscriminately. She has no common sense and we can't have her blow our plan at this point. Make sure the coffin is moved before they come to clean up these bodies. Jeremiah has to do it, not Morgues 'R Us. It would seem like a security breech if any external organizations were involved."

"Of course," C.C. agreed with a nod. "I met him before coming here, he's fully aware of his orders."

"Let's go, then," Lelouch said, turning toward the exit on the far side of the hall. I need to be in disguise before anyone arrives."

The serene smile she had worn since he woke up didn't falter as she took a step closer to him, closing her eyes and she wrapped her arms around his waist. He returned the embrace gently, at first surprised by the uncharacteristic display of affection. A single tear escaped her closed eyes and rolled down her cheek, but she doubted he noticed.

"You're not acting like yourself at all today," he remarked, sounding a bit bemused.

"You've been making me worry a lot..," she said quietly, "Lelouch."

* * *

Final Hikari: I don't own anything from Code Geass. And if I did, there might have been a kissing scene where Lelouch made the first move and didn't end up getting slapped. XD But forgive me! When I write too many words a day, weird things like Morgues 'R Us pop up. XD

Euphemia: -slight frown- That sounds somewhat familiar…

Final Hikari: It's from Code Geass Abridged by TAS. It's the best abridged series for CG…I highly recommend it to anyone surfing YouTube, looking for a laugh. XD

Euphemia: But it kinda killed the moment…

Final Hikari: Eh heh heh. XD Anyway, this is just the prologue; the next few chapters will be quite a bit longer, despair not. And please consider how unusually C.C. was acting throughout those final episodes before I get any crap regard characterization. -sweat drop-


	2. Coming Together

"_The only ones who should kill…are those prepared to be killed."_

Escaping The Imperial City

Chapter I

Coming Together

The darkness of night was all but perpetual, save the faint brightness at the distant horizon. The moon had already disappeared behind the tall, imposing buildings in the Imperial Castle of Tokyo. C.C. walked at a slow pace beside the masked guard she'd been appointed. They were hidden in the shadow cast by the cathedral's steeples.

Her flight to Japan had been booked in advance and she had already been en route to the airport when the fateful news that shocked the entire world was confirmed. Every city and facet of modern society in Britannia was in a state of chaos when she arrived. It was the handiwork of a master strategist and pre-arranged transportation that made her able to reach the government building in Tokyo despite the upheaval.

Less than twenty hours prior, Zero had assassinated Lelouch vi Britannia, 99th and Sole Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire. The infamous Demon King's reign had ended as suddenly and surprisingly as it began; leaving everyone silent with confusion and fear before joyous chants of his other name rang out.

By the time she reached Japan, the late Emperor's body had already been transported to the government facility by Jeremiah, Anya, and a small group of soldiers. It had been difficult to keep the media away from the transport, since the exact number of soldiers taking part in the operation had to be kept under great secrecy.

Fortunately, the legal will of the Emperor had already been located and announced. The public was once again stunned and confused when the sacred document dubbed Nunally vi Britannia the 100th Empress of the Holy Britannian Empire. This eliminated the possibility of another fight for the throne amongst the late king's siblings. It made absolutely no sense to all but a few select people; after all, shortly before his assassination, the Emperor had been taking part in the parade to the public execution of all those who opposed him, including his younger sister.

The twosome reached the door to the cathedral and the soldier sat down and leaned against one of the doors with a tired sigh. The double doors were over thirty feet tall and decorated with detailed, elegant engravings on every inch of the wood. The overall design was quite outdated and contrasted much of the surrounding architecture.

Her personal guard, 'appointed' to her as soon as she reached the capitol, wore the standard black uniform of a soldier. Black gloves covered his hands and a heavy protective helmet hid his face and hair. His eyes were invisible behind the tinted glass of the helmet's front. The bulletproof vest and poor lighting kept any dark blood stains from a hurriedly tended wound out of view.

C.C. remained standing as she leaned against the door with her eyes closed. "You're a cruel man."

"You three managed to ensure everything after the assassination went according to plan. How many people did you have to kill?"

"Twenty-one. This is the last time I'm doing your dirty work though," she remarked dryly.

"Well, I would have gladly done it myself, but the commands I gave them were already too lengthy to tell them to kill themselves afterward. There was too much variation in exact timing. It was also simpler more believable for the public to say group of rebels tried to steal and desecrate the Demon King's corpse, resulting in the deaths of all the royal morticians before Britannian security arrived."

She shook her head slightly before replying. "A lot of people are perplexed about what happened, especially Cornelia, but I get the feeling they'd laugh if they knew that. Even the people involved in that final battle have yet to grasp everything that happened."

"Well, being throughout is a good thing last I checked," he retorted sarcastically.

"She still hasn't left this place," C.C. reminded, motioning to the church. "Are you coming with me?"

"It'd be a hazard to secrecy to let her know so soon. Even with Schneizel taking orders from Zero, a variation in her grieving could be seen as a sign something is amiss. Suzaku would catch on and Jeremiah is already far too cheerful. We need to minimize the confusion, not increase it."

"If you have the energy to be so snide, you should at least tell her. It isn't like you're going to have the chance to see each other away from prying eyes again. Once we leave, it's hard to say if you'll get the chance to be close to her in the next decade or more, especially once she dubs Suzaku her knight. She's been at the side of that coffin since it was transported here."

"Just go in there and say what needs to be said," he replied, a bit shortly. "I want to get back before any of the guard units try recruiting me."

C.C. rolled her eyes in response. "You're just as immortal as I am; a little exercise isn't going to make any difference in that wound."

"How long did it take _you_ to heal the first time you were killed? There's no reason for a 'mere guard' without the rank of knight to get near the Britannian Empress."

"Stubborn and cruel to the very end and beyond," she said, shaking her head slightly as she lifted pushed the door open. "Don't fall asleep while you wait for me."

"What sort of lazy lout do you take me for?" he retorted lightly as she slipped through the door.

A gust of cool air followed her and the door creaked loudly as she pushed it closed. It caught the attention of the only living person in the cathedral, who gasped as she looked up to see who had entered. The young girl seated in the front pew nearest to the large white coffin in front of the altar dried her eyes as the footsteps got closer.

"Who's there?" she called out, trying to make her voice sound firm, though it only trembled. "I-I ordered no one to come in here, and I am the Empress! Identify yourself and be gone."

The only light in the cathedral was from the candles surrounding the coffin. It made the back of the church very dark and impossible for the young Empress to see who had entered. She tensed, reaching over for something as C.C. stepped out into the light. She caught sight of a pistol in the girl's hand, inwardly wondering how much trouble she'd given her newly appointed guards in order to make them leave her alone.

The new Empress of Britannia had been escorted away from the scene of the assassination and brought to the palace immediately. She'd changed into an elegant dress more befitting of her new position, though no formal ceremonies had been held. The land was still in too much of an uproar from the death of Lelouch.

"It's only me," the immortal witch said gently. "C.C."

"Ah…," she exclaimed, surprised to see the green haired woman standing there. "You came all the way to Japan? I thought you left the country…"

"Yes," she said simply, walking over to the side of the casket as Nunally lowered the weapon and put it aside.

"I'm sorry; it's just that the guards wouldn't let me be alone after what happened. Everyone is searching for Zero…for Suzaku…"

_I wonder who Lelouch had put in this casket to serve as his replacement…_ C.C. thought distantly, not looking at the Empress as she sniffled and wiped more tears from her eyes. Her eyes were red from crying for so long, but even as an immortal, she could understand why. It was likely Nunally's only chance to grieve, as she'd be expected to formally take the crown in the morning. All the masses who knew nothing his plan wouldn't expect any sadness from the new ruler of Britannia.

C.C. turned around and walked over to the young girl, motioning to the seat beside her. "May I sit down beside you, Your Majesty?"

"Of course," she said quietly. "But please, just call me Nunally like you always used to when you'd come by and wait for him. I don't like all the formalities."

"As you wish, Nunally," C.C. replied. "I'm sure they'll become very common though."

Only silence ensued, and neither spoke for a long moment.

"You're the first one to even want to come here. I knew our siblings wouldn't be coming, but not even Jeremiah or anyone else he knew came…," Nunally said sadly. "I guess you knew all along…? Did you know what he was planning to do?"

C.C. closed her eyes and pondered her response. She couldn't explain Jeremiah's absence, especially since he was aware of the truth and far too happy to blend in well. "If you're going to ask if I tried to stop him…there was no changing his mind. He was determined to end the cycle of hatred once and for all."

"He didn't care about his own life at all, did he?" she asked hesitantly. "He changed so much…"

"I don't want to sound presumptuous, but even after what happened before the war," C.C. began, choosing her words carefully. She wanted to be more tactful than saying 'When Schneizel tricked you can you declared both he and Suzaku your enemies.' "Lelouch's only priority was keeping you alive. Before the final battle, I warned him that if he went through with his plans to attack Damocles, that he might have to kill you himself; but he just smiled and dismissed my comment. From the first days in the Shinjuku ghetto until then, you were much of the reason he went on."

"I didn't think there was anything left of the brother I knew…Schneizel and Cornelia told me everything, and I believed them when they said he'd become a demon…," she said regretfully. "I believed them. I mean, he even killed Euphie…it seemed so much easier than trying to understand why. And now I can't even apologize," she added, her voice cracking.

"I'm sure Suzaku could tell you the same now…but the incident with Princess Euphemia was a mistake."

Nunally glanced up at her, expression confused. "What happened?"

"It was when he first lost control of the Geass. I suppose it was in part my fault for not seeing it coming sooner, but his original plan was to force her to shoot him and he would seem like a martyr after making a miraculous return. He only wanted to ruin her reputation. But instead, the situation went out of control. Her death was avoidable, and he blamed himself."

"I see…," Nunally said softly. "But even in the end…"

C.C. felt somewhat hesitant to lie to her, but kept Lelouch's extravagant plan in mind. Other than a few minor mishaps due to miscalculations along the way, like getting dropped on his head that morning, all of his plans were too flawless to doubt. He had a reason not to want Nunally to know he was alive.

"He never blamed you," she said, trying to sound comforting. "He didn't expect you to understand. We both know that he didn't."

"But still…," she trailed off. "Did he even hear me in those final moments? The last thing I ever really said to him was that he'd become a demon," she explained, the tears starting to overflow again.

_Lelouch…you should still be here to talk to her._

"He heard you," she said reassuringly, placing her hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "I'm sure he did."

"…You loved him too, didn't you?" she asked after another moment of silence.

"Perhaps I did," she admitted, deciding it wouldn't hurt to agree when he couldn't hear.

"But you seem so much more composed," she said, laughing bitterly through her tears. "Have you already cried? Or is it because you knew before…?"

C.C. stood up and walked over to the coffin in front of the altar. It was much more elegantly decorated than the plain one where the switch was made. The afternoon had been busy, since even though he was disguised as a soldier, Lelouch had been adamant about avoiding everyone who had witnessed the assassination.

"Nunally…you'll see him again someday," C.C. said, keeping the statement open. "You may not know it's him, but you will see him again."

"What?" she asked, sounding confused.

C.C. turned around and bowed her head to the Empress briefly. "I'm afraid I must take my leave. Please return to your quarters as well and rest for a while tonight, Your Majesty. Farewell."

* * *

_What…did she mean? Was she referring to reincarnation…? Or…?_

Nunally sat, staring at the floor and thinking of the words C.C. had left her with before bidding her goodnight and starting toward the door. The older woman's footsteps were muffled by the carpet, but she could still hear them breaking the silence. Her gaze rose to the coffin before her as she started to wonder.

_Surely it's just a lie…she just wants to comfort me so I'll seem calmer tomorrow…_

The heavy door to the cathedral lurched open for a second time; the wind had picked up, and the cold gust that blew into the church made her shiver. She looked up as C.C. stepped out, looking up to the masked guard who waited for her outside. He was a tall and thin man, but not muscular looking like most soldiers. Nunally watched the scene without moving, her eyes becoming wide as the pieces of the mosaic came together to form the picture.

_No…_

The picture formed amongst the chaotic thoughts was of the meetings and partings they'd had.

_It can't be…_

She gripped the side of the pew tightly, her heart skipping a beat. C.C. smiled up at him, the uncharacteristic expression evident even to Nunally. Without understanding anything, she tried to push herself up from the bench and onto her feet, her hands suddenly trembling violently. She heard the door closing as she struggled to put her full weight on her feet. Her mind was in a whirl, but the enigmatic woman had dropped too many hints for her not to wonder.

_What did they…what did he…? Was that just another lie?_

She couldn't ever remember wanting to run more, not even on the Damocles.

_Was C.C. trying to tell me something? Was she trying to say the __**truth**__?_

It didn't make any sense if logical was considered, but the way she seemed so calm, the mysterious comment she had left the young Empress with, and the smile. It just seemed too fall together suddenly, even though it was supposed to be impossible. Although considering that supernatural powers manifesting in a person's left eye was also supposed to be unfeasible…

_I have to move faster! They can't even see me moving!_

She chanced a glance toward the door, watching as the guard nodded. She couldn't discern his words, but she heard his voice. It sounded like _him_ - she hadn't even been able to say his name aloud. She knew she was exhausted and her mind was in a state of utter chaos, but she was sure she wasn't hallucinating. She didn't want to believe she was imagining things.

_I…I have to…_

She hurriedly tried to place her weight on her weak legs, wanting to break the other handicap imposed upon her by the power of Geass. As quickly as she tried, she failed. The door closed and she collapsed upon the floor, her heart racing and her mind frozen with confusion. Her body ached from the sudden collision with the floor. Tears overflowed from her eyes, but she couldn't feel them sliding down her cheeks.

_What…what just happened?_

* * *

Euphemia: The Final Hikari doesn't own anything from Code Geass.

Final Hikari: So, did anyone notice the Mosaic Kakera references yet? XD

Euphemia: I would imagine so, since they're fairly obvious.

Final Hikari: Anyhow, I would like to thank everyone who reviewed! :D I really appreciate all the wonderful feedback. I'd also like answer a few questions here as well. First of all, the extent of Suzaku's involvement in the plan ends with keeping him out of the war during the corpse switch.

Euphemia: …That sounded wrong…

Final Hikari: XD Sorry. Second, this time regarding C.C.'s characterization in the final episodes. She didn't have a major role in the episodes where Lelouch was Emperor, so it can be overlooked. The things she said to Lelouch before he departed for the Damocles, telling him to come back alive since that would make her smile, then when she said that she made a reason to fight, and her reactions when Kallen asked if she loved Lelouch then defeated her are all examples of this. Some of the moments like that in R2 made me go, "…Is this the same C.C. from the first season who called him a spoiled little boy and worse…?" XD

Euphemia: She also made him sleep on the floor.

Final Hikari: I would imagine he'd sleep on the couch… Ahem, anyway, the third matter of business! As some have noticed, my editor is absent for this fan fiction. School work accounts for 90% of her absence, and the fact she laughs every time she words the word 'Geass' is the other 10%. XD So, does anyone want to proofread for this fan fiction? :D Thank you all for reading and reviewing!


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